Welcome to Submission (Islam)

Seeking Forgiveness

Most essential for our salvation

Therefore, you shall race towards forgiveness from your
Lord, and a Paradise whose width encompasses the heaven and the earth. It awaits
those who believed in GOD and His messengers. Such is GOD's grace that He bestows
upon whomever He wills. GOD is Possessor of Infinite Grace (57:21).

God tells us in Quran that He has chosen Mercy as His attribute (6:12), though
we know that all the best names and attributes belong to Him anyway (17:110).
This Most Merciful quality of His is what has allowed us to be here in the first
place with a final chance to redeem ourselves (2:30, 16:61, 67:2). His being
Merciful means that He always wants to forgive us if we respond appropriately
(4:147), because unless God forgives us for our original sin and the
things we do wrong here, we just cannot be redeemed (14:10, 20:82).

Closely linked to the main theme of the Quran, which is to worship God alone,
God continuously emphasizes the idea of forgiveness (39:9, 47:19). Not only
must we implore Him to forgive our original sin (43:5), we must also ask forgiveness
for our mistakes on Earth and rectify (reform) all actions in our lives to do
things that please Him (2:160, 46:15). If we do not do this, God will not convert
our sins into credits and we will be losers in the Hereafter.

Exempted are those who repent, believe, and lead a righteous
life. GOD transforms their sins into credits. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.
Those who repent and lead a righteous life, GOD redeems them; a complete redemption
(25:70-71)

Being human, with fully loaded egos and a misleading Jinn sitting on our backs
(7:17, 45:23), we are always prone to doing things wrong that earn us sins.
This can range from poor individual submission to actions that adversely affect
other people’s interests too. Often we may not even realize our mistakes,
and our opinion of how to make good errors may not necessarily be the best thing
for the society or us (5:44, 6:114-115). Fortunately, as always, God has given
us a readymade solution for everything, including how we can achieve that essential
forgiveness from Him (6:155, 10:57). His great Quran points out several areas
where we do wrong and how we can make up (pay) for it equitably, repent, reform,
and most of all, be forgiven. Believers are encouraged to study the vast situations
God has addressed in this regard. See also Appendix 37 of Dr. Rashad Khalifa’s
Authorized English Version.

When you examine His system for achieving forgiveness, you cannot help but
appreciate how oft forgiving and merciful God is towards the people (3:135,
42:30, 42:34, 53:32). For example, if we do things wrong out of ignorance then
repent immediately thereafter and reform, that is the end of the matter (4:17).
In situations where God wants a defaulter to undergo a corrective measure, the
‘make good’ fine or punishment is equitable to all, and at times
even provides options (such as fasting if someone cannot afford to feed) to
help the person fulfill the requirement (5:89, 5:95). As for idol worship, the
worst of all sins – far worse than murder, intoxicants, homosexuality
etc. - a person needs to pay nothing to be forgiven. All he or she has to do
is stop doing it, repent and lead a righteous life (reform). In our present
social system, imagine being let go so easily like this for even a minor offence;
leave alone a horrendous one like idol worship!

As for those who repent, reform, and proclaim, I redeem
them. I am the Redeemer, Most Merciful (2:160). Anyone who commits evil, or
wrongs his soul, then implores GOD for forgiveness, will find GOD Forgiving,
Most Merciful (4:110).

In effect, the provision to make up for wrong actions, seek forgiveness, repent
and reform is an awesome blessing from God that we must take advantage of at
every opportunity. God loves the repenters (2:222). The thing to watch out for
is the ego. It is the ego that got us here and it is the ego that prevents people
from acknowledging their wrong and imploring God for forgiveness (2:54, 45:23).
In addition to seeking forgiveness from God often (2:286, 51:81, 9:112), we
must also learn to be more tolerant and forgiving towards one another (7:199,
16:126, 24:22, 42:43) and never take God’s grace, blessings or mercy for
granted (7:99, 14:34, 57:29, 70:28).

When triumph comes from GOD, and victory.
You will see the people embracing GOD's religion in throngs.
You shall glorify and praise your Lord, and implore Him for forgiveness.
He is the Redeemer (110:1-3).

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of God AloneAll Praise Be To God!
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